It is confusing to read about leprosy in the bible. I had no idea what leprosy was so I looked it up: Leprosy. It is amazing to see what leprosy does to people it is a very contagious and dangerous caused by bacteria. After looking at what leprosy is I can appreciate why there is so much time devoted to it in Leviticus. In a large community such as the Israelites had in their time post captivity there cold have been easily been an outbreak of disease if there was not guidelines to follow. People who had leprosy were labeled unclean much like people who have MRSA today are noted of their infection and treated differently. When these law were handed down did was a distinction between the physical and spiritual uncleanliness made? At what point in church history did physical illness become an assumed sin or spiritual uncleanliness? In John 9 we see how people assume that someone sinned because a man was born blind. Jesus states that no one sinned to make the man blind but it was so that God’s will may be done and glory given to Him.
I take the these stories personally because of all the illness and ailments that I have gone through. I at one point wondered if I had done something to have this happen to me. After reading a praying about my life I came to know that what has happened to me is all for the glory of God and it is not because of what I have or have not done. I thank God for the ability He has given to me to go through these circumstances and I pray that He may receive glory.
As christians today do we look upon someone’s illness thinking that they have done something to deserve it? Do we treat them as a leper? Are we truly thankful for the health or illness God blesses us with?
